My dad was in the US. Air Force for something like two decades. Stationed in Guam, with all that tropical heat and humidity, mom and dad germinated and bloomed me. It makes me sound like an eggplant. But before it was "all about me," there were other things.
I suppose it would be the traditional thing to do, to focus on dad's service -- what he did, where he went, what rank he achieved before retirement. But those things did not impact our family nearly as much as the more elemental reality that in his service, his life took a different path, and that path intersected with different lives, and the connections he made changed everything.
My father served his country and in doing so, the position served him. It was a bridge out of a difficult childhood. He lied about his age to get in. And this opened a window to completely different worlds, places he still remembers and speaks of. It was admission into a brotherhood, an exclusive club he shares with an ever dwindling population of little old men - who always manage to crop up. Mom often shares with me how he gets wrapped up in conversation with some complete stranger, with that shared experience.
If not for the military, my dad would probably have never come to Georgia, would have never met my mother. I imagine how different their lives would have been without each other.
Put that way, I'll be honest, I compare this with my own life. How many times have I gone with the flow, and spent my energy trying to be content with whatever fell in my lap? How about this? When special situations lead you to explore outside your confined arena, maybe that wasn't a blip on the radar screen. Maybe that wasn't the anamoly in your life - quickly experienced, quickly dismissed as not part of your life. Maybe that WAS. YOUR. LIFE. Maybe you should grab it, even if it seems a little out of your reach.
It was true for my dad.
So, happy memorial day. I hope some day that your memories include some special moments, when unique events and new paths changed your life for the best.
--Laura
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
guam: one
Mom recently sent me home with some items from their/our days in Guam. Among these was a calendar, targeted at new visitors to the island. This was a large and growing population during those years, as the military population increased at the base in Agana.
At any rate, I thought the opening welcome for this calendar, written in 1971, was interesting. Read along:
Hafa Adai! Welcome to Guam!
To the visitor of a few days – relax, slow down, and take a leisurely look at the island which local legend says is the center and beginning of the world. If you don’t see it all on this trip you can look at the rest of it the next time you return – and we hope you will.
To the visitor who will be here perhaps months or years – relax, slow down, and get accustomed to this nature-decorated ex-volcano. You’ll have plenty of time later to grouch about what man has done to it since. Please don’t make the mistake of just taking a quick trip around the whole island the week you arrive and another the week you leave two years later. You’ll miss everything, including the people, if you don’t slow down long enough to say hello.
You will find this island community a fascinating place if first you toss out about ninety percent of your pre-conceptions of what a tropical island ought to be. They might be true of the other islands, but not Guam.
We all realize that most of you newcomers are here for a purpose, or, if you will, a mission: National or world affecting. We respect this and try not to hinder or interfere. We hope the respect works both ways.
A foreign-flavored island, Guam is. A foreign country it is not! Guam is officially known as an unincorporated Territory of the United States, meaning that while it is not one of the fifty states, and residents don't yet vote in national elections, it still belongs part and parcel to the USA (Right down to the tax system). Guamanians and Chamorros, who have given much to their country in lives, land, and loyalty, highly resent any inference they are not wholly American.
You will find that the island has many flavors other than the original Chamorro. Spanish, Philippine, Japanese, Chinese and Malaysian are all reflected in one way or another in customs, cultures, foods, dress, names and spirit. Perhaps all these together are what account, rather than the bad roads and island-wide 45 mph speed limit, for Guam’s seeming reluctance to get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world.
An important point — your hometown Guam is not. To this observer of fifteen years it has become apparent that a good deal of the newcomer’s discontent with Guam is that he or she expects it to be ANYTOWN, USA. A realization that the island has in its not too distant history a heritage which is not USA in outlook, and which over a period of centuries has evolved customs which the island does not particularly want to lose, will make it easier for you.
More of a willingness to accept Guam for what it is, not what you were expecting or think it should be, will make your stay here more pleasant. God willing, it may make you want to stay a little longer.
Perhaps this calendar, a kind of diary of your time on Guam, will add to your understanding and your enjoyment of the island, I hope so.
The recipes you will read, and I hope use, are both Guamanian and Filipino. They show the rich Spanish heritage of both, but some are purely tropical in nature. Since most are common to both Guam and the Philippines I have written the recipe as I learned to cook it, making little distinction as to origin except in those included o show variation or as a matter of general information.
You will find both fiesta or holiday dishes here, as well as a good many every day dishes. For the most part, they are basic in preparation and ingredients, and can be added to to stretch or make fancier. To the old-timer these methods of preparation may seem comically detailed and probably over-Anglicized, but to the newcomer who has never seen Pancit or Red Rice they will be necessary.
I want to express my gratitude to all those who, at one time or another, have taken the time and patience to tell me interesting things about the people, customs and food of Guam and the Philippines, especially Agueda & Emilie Johnston, Remedios L.G. Perez, Janice Beaty, Paul Souder, Msgr. Jose A Lean Guerrero, Eduina and Manuel Jose, Joe Peralta, and my husband, Ben, who has read, advised, and tasted — and not laughed too much.
Si Juus Maase!
Montie M. Protasio
Copyright, 1971, by Montie M. Protasio
All rights reserved
Si Yu'us ma'ase,
Laura
At any rate, I thought the opening welcome for this calendar, written in 1971, was interesting. Read along:
Hafa Adai! Welcome to Guam!
To the visitor of a few days – relax, slow down, and take a leisurely look at the island which local legend says is the center and beginning of the world. If you don’t see it all on this trip you can look at the rest of it the next time you return – and we hope you will.
To the visitor who will be here perhaps months or years – relax, slow down, and get accustomed to this nature-decorated ex-volcano. You’ll have plenty of time later to grouch about what man has done to it since. Please don’t make the mistake of just taking a quick trip around the whole island the week you arrive and another the week you leave two years later. You’ll miss everything, including the people, if you don’t slow down long enough to say hello.
You will find this island community a fascinating place if first you toss out about ninety percent of your pre-conceptions of what a tropical island ought to be. They might be true of the other islands, but not Guam.
We all realize that most of you newcomers are here for a purpose, or, if you will, a mission: National or world affecting. We respect this and try not to hinder or interfere. We hope the respect works both ways.
A foreign-flavored island, Guam is. A foreign country it is not! Guam is officially known as an unincorporated Territory of the United States, meaning that while it is not one of the fifty states, and residents don't yet vote in national elections, it still belongs part and parcel to the USA (Right down to the tax system). Guamanians and Chamorros, who have given much to their country in lives, land, and loyalty, highly resent any inference they are not wholly American.
You will find that the island has many flavors other than the original Chamorro. Spanish, Philippine, Japanese, Chinese and Malaysian are all reflected in one way or another in customs, cultures, foods, dress, names and spirit. Perhaps all these together are what account, rather than the bad roads and island-wide 45 mph speed limit, for Guam’s seeming reluctance to get too caught up in the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world.
An important point — your hometown Guam is not. To this observer of fifteen years it has become apparent that a good deal of the newcomer’s discontent with Guam is that he or she expects it to be ANYTOWN, USA. A realization that the island has in its not too distant history a heritage which is not USA in outlook, and which over a period of centuries has evolved customs which the island does not particularly want to lose, will make it easier for you.
More of a willingness to accept Guam for what it is, not what you were expecting or think it should be, will make your stay here more pleasant. God willing, it may make you want to stay a little longer.
Perhaps this calendar, a kind of diary of your time on Guam, will add to your understanding and your enjoyment of the island, I hope so.
The recipes you will read, and I hope use, are both Guamanian and Filipino. They show the rich Spanish heritage of both, but some are purely tropical in nature. Since most are common to both Guam and the Philippines I have written the recipe as I learned to cook it, making little distinction as to origin except in those included o show variation or as a matter of general information.
You will find both fiesta or holiday dishes here, as well as a good many every day dishes. For the most part, they are basic in preparation and ingredients, and can be added to to stretch or make fancier. To the old-timer these methods of preparation may seem comically detailed and probably over-Anglicized, but to the newcomer who has never seen Pancit or Red Rice they will be necessary.
I want to express my gratitude to all those who, at one time or another, have taken the time and patience to tell me interesting things about the people, customs and food of Guam and the Philippines, especially Agueda & Emilie Johnston, Remedios L.G. Perez, Janice Beaty, Paul Souder, Msgr. Jose A Lean Guerrero, Eduina and Manuel Jose, Joe Peralta, and my husband, Ben, who has read, advised, and tasted — and not laughed too much.
Si Juus Maase!
Montie M. Protasio
Copyright, 1971, by Montie M. Protasio
All rights reserved
Si Yu'us ma'ase,
Laura
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
hair and other things
For some, summer is their favorite time of year. That is not me. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to live in the mountains. Instead, I lived near southern waters. With southern waters comes humid summers.
Have I told you about my hair? I have fine, thick hair. It's possibly the worst follicular combination available to the human head. If humidity rises above 50%, I resemble Orphan Annie. No, this is not true. Her curls are controlled. My curls expand. Additionally, I have a cowlick over my right eyebrow. So right over my eyebrow is a flipped, frizzy, turbo apostrophe. The hotter it gets outside, the bigger this punctuation mark gets. So, like Colonel Sanders with boobs and an apostrophe.
Colorado was a welcome respite from this summer dread. Yes, my hair was straight as a board. I didn't mind one bit. It became faithful - I always knew where it would be. Boring was hair bliss.
Now don't get me wrong. I've evolved. I think grooming is important. There's no reason to have a piece of crap on your head. If you look like you just woke up and you didn't, maybe you need a stylist. When I return, the first thing I'm going to do is locate a hair stylist who can do something with my hair. No more Great Clips for me.
But I can't wait for my summers of joy. Straight haired-joy. I'm not going to fret about it now, when humidity is working against me. So in what, with luck, is my last summer in the south, I have cut my hair shorter. And I'm planting every possible vegetable in the garden. I want to look back on my last summer and say I got a lot out of my yard, that I enjoyed the things I grew and didn't worry about my hair.
-Laura
Have I told you about my hair? I have fine, thick hair. It's possibly the worst follicular combination available to the human head. If humidity rises above 50%, I resemble Orphan Annie. No, this is not true. Her curls are controlled. My curls expand. Additionally, I have a cowlick over my right eyebrow. So right over my eyebrow is a flipped, frizzy, turbo apostrophe. The hotter it gets outside, the bigger this punctuation mark gets. So, like Colonel Sanders with boobs and an apostrophe.
Colorado was a welcome respite from this summer dread. Yes, my hair was straight as a board. I didn't mind one bit. It became faithful - I always knew where it would be. Boring was hair bliss.
Now don't get me wrong. I've evolved. I think grooming is important. There's no reason to have a piece of crap on your head. If you look like you just woke up and you didn't, maybe you need a stylist. When I return, the first thing I'm going to do is locate a hair stylist who can do something with my hair. No more Great Clips for me.
But I can't wait for my summers of joy. Straight haired-joy. I'm not going to fret about it now, when humidity is working against me. So in what, with luck, is my last summer in the south, I have cut my hair shorter. And I'm planting every possible vegetable in the garden. I want to look back on my last summer and say I got a lot out of my yard, that I enjoyed the things I grew and didn't worry about my hair.
-Laura
Sunday, May 23, 2010
lower than dirt
I need a BB gun - a quiet, high-powered BB gun. I also need the skill to field dress a dead squirrel. Why? Because I hate squirrels. And if I could kill a dozen in my yard, the neighbhorhood wouldn't miss them.
I bet they'd taste great. They've fattened themselves on sunflower seeds. There is one squirrel in my neighborhood that's so fat, he can barely jump along the fenceline, and can barely go from the fence to the outbuilding all the rats use to jump into their tree colony.
They would be good with cornbread.
By the way, I welcome any and all emails with suggestions for discouraging the little critters.
--Laura
I bet they'd taste great. They've fattened themselves on sunflower seeds. There is one squirrel in my neighborhood that's so fat, he can barely jump along the fenceline, and can barely go from the fence to the outbuilding all the rats use to jump into their tree colony.
They would be good with cornbread.
By the way, I welcome any and all emails with suggestions for discouraging the little critters.
--Laura
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